Auldearn
by HopeCoppice
Summary: Just a few drabbles about Auldearn the Bear who appears in a few other of my fics also . I intend to add more little drabbles as I go along. Likely to be slash in there at some point. EDIT: Yes, slash.
1. Buffet

**So I needed somewhere to put all my random Auldearn-related fics that no doubt are going to happen at some point. Here is the first (to be posted, not necessarily the first chronologically). Enjoy!  
Disclaimer: Auldearn the Bear is mine. The rest of it isn't.**

"Bertrand," Vlad began absently as they circled each other, biding their time to strike, "why Auldearn?" Bertrand shrugged, using the movement to disguise the start of a vicious series of punches, which Vlad barely managed to avoid.  
"He was the first out of the crate." Vlad shook his head and was promptly sent reeling backwards by a shove he knew Bertrand hadn't put all his weight behind.  
"No, I mean... funny name for a bear." He managed to land a punch of his own, but Bertrand countered it without missing a beat.  
"And Mr Cuddles isn't?" They both fell back for a moment, regrouping, resuming the uneasy circling orbit around the centre of the room. Vlad glared at his tutor; that wasn't an answer. "I named him after a particularly good buffet in my youth. The Battle of Auldearn, 1645. Dinner and a show." He took advantage of Vlad's horrified distraction to go in for the kill, the Chosen One barely aware of being attacked before he found himself pinned to the floor.

"You're disgusting sometimes, Bertrand, you know that?" His tutor stood with a smirk, offering a hand to help Vlad up.  
"And you're getting sloppy. Again!" The circling began anew.


	2. Platonic

**Don't say I never give you anything nice.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Auldearn himself. And whatever bizarre notion of plot is contained in these here chapters.**

Their hands, resting on top of one another, seemed to draw his focus until he couldn't look away.  
"Look, it isn't that I don't like you-"  
"I'm not sure where anyone's got this idea-"  
"-it's just that it's a platonic thing, you understand."  
"-must be projecting their own feelings."  
"I mean, obviously I'm fond of you."  
"Of course, it goes without saying that the feeling is quite mutual."  
"That's all there is to it though, and I assumed you felt the same."  
"Oh, you're like a much, much younger brother to me."

Auldearn and Mr Cuddles II looked at each other awkwardly for another moment, wishing they could move, drop each other's hands, and go back to their usual civilised – personal space-invasion free – conversation. Then Auldearn spoke.  
"Your boy has a lot to answer for." Mr Cuddles shrugged, or rather performed the mental equivalent.  
"Yeah, he's a bit of a moron. But he's my boy." Auldearn thought about nodding sagely, and the matter was closed.


	3. Manky

**Apparently 'I'm not going to write until Tuesday' means 'I am going to write three fics in one night and stay up til 4am in the process'. Winning.**

**Disclaimer: Auldearn is mine. All the other things and people? They're not mine.**

"What's this manky old thing I found in the training room?" Ingrid's tone as she walked into the dining room suggested that she knew _any_ answer she received would bring its reward. Bertrand looked up and froze in horror at the sight of Auldearn dangling from the single paw she had pinched between two perfectly manicured fingers.

He would be the laughing stock of the entire vampire world – not to mention Garside Grange – when it got out that he, Bertrand du Fortunesa, the vampire vampires had feared for four centuries, owned a teddy bear. And really, now Ingrid had discovered it, it was impossible that the rest of the world should remain oblivious. No protest about status symbols could save him now, no claims of heritage preservation – even the tale of the original theft would not mollify his critics. He would have to leave Vlad's service, lest the Chosen One be seen to surround himself with wimpires, and that would mean the end of _everything_.

"It's mine." He wasn't aware of speaking until the words were out. No, that wasn't right. He _hadn't _spoken, he was sure of it. His head snapped round to where Vlad was holding his hand out for the toy. "Collector's item, quite valuable actually." Before Ingrid could do more than raise an eyebrow, the boys eyes had turned jet black and his voice rang with the authority of the Chosen One. "Give him to me now, before his arm comes off." She obeyed and skulked off back towards the Blood Cellar, cackling, and he knew Vlad would never be allowed to live this down.

"Why did you say he was yours?" He murmured into Vlad's ear once they were alone, "Why would you do that?" Vlad smiled at him as if he was an idiot for having to ask.  
"You've made enough sacrifices for me. It was my turn." He looked as if he'd have liked to say more, but Bertrand didn't give him chance, gently placing the old bear on Vlad's coffin room floor and pulling the Chosen One into his arms.

If kissing was the only way he could think of to express his gratitude, then so be it.


	4. Reasons

**Inspired by a conversation I had with someone the other day about this very series, although I hope they're not reading this now because I didn't exactly admit to it being ****_my_**** series. Anyway, they could imagine Bertrand stealing the bears but not that he'd keep one. I respectfully offer this alternative interpretation.**

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but Auldearn. And even he is based on a real bear (well, a real shipment of bears) - seriously, look it up on Wikipedia. I am a total nerd.**

If Bertrand was honest with himself, honest in a way he never was with anyone else, he had to admit that he had no idea why he'd never sold Auldearn.

Taking the crate from the docks had been an obvious move; the bears were new, had been recently exhibited. They would turn a tidy profit. Yet one, first out of the box and boasting a slightly misshapen ear, had somehow been set aside. It must have been because he'd automatically recognised the flaw in the design and known there would be less to gain from offloading this bear than the others.

Later, when the remaining bears had disappeared completely into the ether, he realised the last bear was probably worth even more money than its brothers. Still he didn't part with it, telling himself that he was waiting for the right time, that there was no reason he shouldn't possess such a status symbol himself.

Then, eventually, teddies had become common toys for children everywhere, and Bertrand realised they weren't the high-class, super desirable commodity they had once been. It would make no sense to sell the bear now, he reasoned. He might as well follow the trend and give it a name, just to pass the time. It didn't take long at all to settle on one.

By the time Bertrand realised that he was in possession of perhaps the only remaining "55 PB" bear in existence, the kind of treasure museums would burn each other to the ground to bid for, he didn't really have any excuses left. He'd had Auldearn for years; he'd given him a name, he'd even _talked_ to him for a while when there was nobody else left to talk to. The bear listened silently, and somehow it made him feel less alone, talking to something with a face. Something that didn't recoil when it saw him, that didn't know about all the terrible things he'd done, the vampires reduced to dust.

Auldearn wasn't the least bit afraid of him, and he never judged him. That was enough reason to keep him, though he'd never admit it. And even now that he had Vlad to look him straight in the eyes and betray no fear, he kept the bear. Even now Vlad tried to understand him, rather than judging him, he held onto Auldearn.

He owed him that much, at least.


	5. Learning

**A little thing I'd been mulling over all day. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: Young Dracula = not mine. Auldearn = mine.**

Auldearn wasn't really sure why he'd kept Bertrand.

He was a terrible cuddler. The first time the vampire had reached out and picked him up, Auldearn had been struck only by how cold his hands were. He held him thoughtfully at arm's length before stuffing him unceremoniously into a bag, which Auldearn had had to share with a shroud and a bottle of blood for several hours.

Many years had passed between that fateful night and the first time Bertrand actually seemed to consider giving the bear a hug. He weighed Auldearn in both hands, squeezing him gently just below his arms, and then pulled a face before putting him away again.

It was only a few weeks later that Bertrand made a third attempt, holding the bear at arms-length again, staring up at it as he lay on his back. "Auldearn," he'd murmured, as if to himself, "I'll call you Auldearn." And then, as he squinted up, wondering if the name had made any difference at all, he dropped off to sleep, and Auldearn dropped too.

_Thank goodness,_ he thought to himself, _you were never going to get it right when you were awake._ But now he'd landed on Bertrand's chest – as unnaturally cool as his hands, but reassuringly firm all the same – and his little paws were outstretched to either side as he did his best to cuddle his unconscious master.

Bertrand's arms moved to cross his chest, apparently indifferent to the small, furry obstruction in their way, and Auldearn sighed contentedly. After all these years of waiting, it _almost_ felt like being hugged back.

When the vampire had woken that evening, he had made no mention of the incident before dropping Auldearn unceremoniously back into the bag. But the next morning, as he settled down to sleep in yet another new place, he pulled the bear out and tucked him carefully under his folded arms.

Days later, Bertrand was sitting in a cave, hiding from the sunlight, when he finally spoke again. His voice seemed to surprise him; he hadn't used it properly in a while.  
"Might as well talk to you, I suppose." He gathered the bear into his arms and sat with him, Auldearn staring out at the sun with him. "Nobody else, after all. I feel ridiculous." So had Auldearn, until Bertrand spoke again. "I need the company."

Years later, at Garside Grange, Auldearn had watched Bertrand gather someone else into his arms and hold him tight, and he had been proud. Finally his bad cuddler would be taught to do it properly. And Vlad had wasted no time doing just that.


	6. Young

**Just a little one - aren't they all? I don't own anything but Auldearn.**

Auldearn and Mr Cuddles II were just sitting on the shelf in Vlad's room one night, minding their own business, when the door opened and a large object was shoved through. Mr Cuddles thought he caught a glimpse of Renfield before the door swung shut. Then the cuddly toys focused their attention on the mass of fluff on the floor.

_Where am I?_ Wolfie's teddy mumbled. Auldearn and Mr Cuddles exchanged significant looks. This toy sounded very young and lost, and would require careful handling.  
_You're in Vladimir's room, _Auldearn began in a voice not unlike that of an elderly headmaster, kind but firm. _Why don't you tell us your name, good chap?_ There was a long pause.  
_Am I in trouble?_ The huge toy wondered.  
_No, _Mr Cuddles began, with a glare at Auldearn, _you're alright. We just want to know who you are. I'm Mr Cuddles the second, and this is Auldearn._

There was another hesitant pause, then the strange toy answered.  
_Pup. My name's Pup. _He didn't look like a pup; he looked like a bear, but they didn't argue – Pup was speaking again. _Who belongs to you?_ Auldearn shot a sideways glance at Mr Cuddles; he couldn't go revealing his boy's secrets, after all.  
_Vlad's my boy,_ said Mr Cuddles, _who belongs to you?_  
At that moment the door opened again, just a fraction, and a pair of big dark eyes peered into the room before a huge smile appeared underneath them. Wolfie scampered in, gathered up his toy, and looked up – straight at Mr Cuddles and Auldearn.

A moment passed in which he tilted his head curiously, taking in the sight. Then the boy waved Pup's paw at the pair, and scampered away, dragging the bear almost his size with him. The door swung shut.

_Well,_ Auldearn said at length, _that was odd._


	7. Boy

**Yes, another little Auldearn drabble. I can't help it, they keep occurring to me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Dracula. When Auldearn appears in an episode, ask me again. I still won't own it though. Though I do own the bear in question.**

Auldearn had always called Bertrand his boy.

It was just what was done, had always been done. When he had been made, his creator had packed him into the crate in a hurry, with a muttered hope that the boy or girl who received him would treasure him despite his slightly wonky ear. The others in the crate had all been looking forward to the moment when they would be handed to a child to take care of them, a child who would be theirs to keep.

The crooked-eared bear had tried to form a picture in his head of what that would be like, but he'd come up blank. He couldn't even imagine what the child who eventually came to be his would look like. The other bears, however, had been sure of one thing; there was nothing in the world as rewarding as a cuddle. Being cuddled, they all instinctively knew, was the greatest thing in the world.

When they were stolen, the bear with the crooked ear wondered who the children were who would miss out on their anticipated bears. He wondered, too, who the children were who would be getting them unexpectedly. But most of all, he wondered what the word was for a child with three hundred years of history and _fangs_.

He settled on what any male child who owned him would always have been called. Bertrand might be a little different to what the other bears had expected, but he had never had such expectations – and he would treat Bertrand just the way he instinctively knew was proper.

He was his boy.


	8. Demonstration

**This one very nearly has a plot! I might write it from the vampires' side at a later date, I don't know. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Only Auldearn is mine, and arguably even he isn't mine, by virtue of belonging to Bertrand. What's not mine is the BBC's and I'm only grateful they tolerate my playing with it.**

Bertrand and Vlad were sitting, side by side, on the sofa in Vlad's room, staring glumly into the middle distance.

_This doesn't look good_, Mr Cuddles II observed quietly to his companion.  
_That is rather an understatement,_ Auldearn replied, _since I haven't seen my boy sit still for so long on a single occasion since 1953._

"…You're sure?" Bertrand spoke at last. Vlad shrugged miserably.  
"I thought maybe you could find me a way around it." Bertrand frowned, then stood and crossed the room to the shelf where the teddies sat.

_Oh, good lord, his plan involves us. Hold on tight, Cuddles old chum._ But Auldearn was wrong. Bertrand simply lifted the toys carefully from their place and carried them back over to the sofa, handing the monkey to Vlad before sitting down, Auldearn on his lap.  
_Not what you were expecting?_ Mr Cuddles II could be very smug when he was snuggled up to Vlad. Auldearn couldn't deny that he was a little jealous – until Bertrand wrapped his arms around the old bear and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"You can't fix this, can you, Bertrand?" Vlad's tone was defeated, his grip on his toy tightening. The gap between the two vampires had never seemed so wide, though only a few inches of air separated them.  
"…I don't know how to." It was difficult for Bertrand to admit, and suddenly Auldearn found himself being thrust into Vlad's arms as the older vampire wrapped himself around the younger.

_Something is terribly wrong, Cuddles. _The monkey didn't acknowledge that; it was obvious. Bertrand was demonstrating emotions, and that was something he rarely did without encouragement. Auldearn began to slip from Vlad's hands; there was nothing he could do to stop himself from falling to land on a heavy, dusty old book. A cloud billowed up to engulf Mr Cuddles, catching Vlad's attention at last.

"Sorry, I dropped-" Bertrand raised his head to look for his bear, reaching down to reclaim him before stopping short. Auldearn, now dangling precariously from his boy's grip, glanced down too, and recognised the book as one of Bertrand's own, one that the vampire had once told him he'd had since the very beginning of his political studies. His boy was mouthing something to himself; the last words escaped in a whispered rush.  
"_…and such an engagement cannot be binding!_" Vlad blinked at him.  
"What?"  
"No time. We've got work to do, come on!" A much happier-looking Bertrand shooed the Chosen One out of the room, closing the door behind him and leaving the cuddly toys discarded on the sofa.  
_Well, I never- _Auldearn began, as Mr Cuddles began to wonder himself._  
What was all that abou-?_

They were both interrupted by the door opening again and a somewhat guilty-looking vampire creeping in to pick them up, dust them off, and return them to their rightful shelf. He took a moment to glance over his shoulder and make sure he was alone before speaking softly.  
"…Thank you, Auldearn." Then he was gone again, no doubt off to thwart some diabolical scheme of the Count's.

_That's my boy,_ Auldearn smiled.


	9. Problem

**Set before Bertrand and Vlad got together, but after Bertrand's arrival at Garside... Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except arguably the bear.**

"Auldearn."

The whisper was barely audible in the stillness of the training room; it was the middle of the day and frankly, the bear was a little disgruntled about being awoken like this. If his boy insisted on sleeping in the daylight hours, that was all well and good; Auldearn had adjusted to that many years ago. But if that was the case, he expected to be allowed to sleep in the daytime. Of course, being a teddy bear, he mostly slept at night as well, but it was the principle of the thing. Still, Bertrand didn't often speak to him when other people had even the slightest chance of overhearing, so he supposed the least he could do was listen.

"I think we may have a problem." He waited as his boy deliberated about his next words. When they came, they weren't words at all – just _word_. One word, delivered in such a broken tone of voice that Auldearn understood all the want, and longing, and fear attached to it, all the feelings Bertrand would never admit to if he could help it, not if they might go unreturned.

"_Vlad._"


	10. Stolen

**And another little Auldearn-based drabble because it occurred to me. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the bear, and even that's debatable.**

Auldearn had been stolen twice in his first decade of life.

The first time had been when his boy had taken him from the docks, of course, along with the rest of his crate. Auldearn didn't really consider that as being stolen; he had known no other boy as master, after all, and therefore considered himself rightfully Bertrand's.

The second time had been some eight years later, and a little boy had crept into Bertrand's room at the inn where he was staying for the day. He could only have been six or seven, but he moved around like a master thief, avoiding creaky floorboards and quickly, efficiently turning out all the right pockets to relieve the vampire of what little money he carried with him. He had been on his way out of the door when he'd spotted Auldearn's head poking out from Bertrand's bag. His eyes had gone saucer-wide and he'd made his way across to pick the bear up. Before his hand could touch the door handle again, however, there had been a hand on his shoulder.

"Give back what you took." The child dropped the bear and began trying to protest his innocence, stammering and stuttering all the way, but Bertrand simply flashed his fangs at the boy. He couldn't empty his pockets fast enough, after that, throwing Bertrand's money to the ground and rushing outside into the daylight, screaming for his mother. Bertrand packed Auldearn back into the bag with the rest of his belongings and prepared to move on in a hurry as soon as night fell.

Auldearn had wondered for a long time after that if the chance of a real cuddle mightn't have been worth the indignity of being stolen again.

Years later, he would look back in relief; there was no boy he'd rather belong with than his own.


	11. Happy

**Just a little Auldearn drabble because I hadn't done one in ages... Well, probably about two days. It seems longer, OK? Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Hmm, let me have a look... no... I don't believe I own Young Dracula.**

"I've never seen him like this." Auldearn seemed thoughtful, as if he was contemplating one of Life's Great Mysteries. This worried his companion.  
"Is my boy safe?"  
"Of course he is," the old bear snapped, almost offended by the question, but he softened as he realised that he'd have asked the same thing, if their roles were reversed. "Of course. It's just that I've never seen him this… well, this _happy_."

Mr Cuddles II followed the direction of Auldearn's gaze to where Bertrand and Vlad were lying on their sides on the sofa, legs tangled, reading. Vlad barely had to pause before turning each page, knowing Bertrand was a faster reader than him, but when Bertrand reached the end of the visible portion of text he pressed a kiss to Vlad's temple anyway, just to make sure he knew. Vlad was beginning to look as if he would very much like to stop reading and return the favour, but they had to reach the end of the chapter. That was the deal Bertrand had made – Vlad would no doubt curse his folly when he realised how long each section of the book actually was – and he would ensure that the Chosen One stuck to it.

"No," Mr Cuddles mused, "Vlad's never been like this with anyone either." There was barely room for the pair of them, Vlad's back pressed tightly against Bertrand's chest, the older vampire's arm protectively encircling his waist, and yet Vlad wasn't rebelling against the physical contact. Not so very long ago, he would have eaten garlic rather than allow himself to be held so intimately.

Auldearn gave his friend a shrewd look.  
"Is _my _boy safe?" They shared a silent laugh at the idea that either of their boys could hurt each other, and settled back to their silent vigil. Vlad let out a yell of triumph and began trying to work out how to turn round on the sofa, only succeeding in landing both vampires on the floor. They didn't seem to mind too much.

Mr Cuddles II had never seen Auldearn so happy, either.


	12. Company

**Slightly longer (at least, it feels it), slightly different in tone - a prompt from redrachxo related to the last time Bertrand had sat still for that long.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the bear.**

Bertrand had seen them all, the breathers, gathering around windows and piling into each other's houses. Everybody with a television was suddenly more popular than they had ever been – all but one.

The local electronics shop were aware that he'd rented one out on his arrival a few weeks ago, of course, which meant that the whole town knew. They were afraid of him. Breathers and vampires alike feared him, as well they should. The breathers didn't even know why they were afraid, only that the tall, serious young man who'd taken a house on the outskirts and had barely been seen since was somehow intimidating. Vampires, of course, knew what he had done, what he would no doubt do again.

He had expected some brave – foolish – breather to make their way to his door anyway. This event had been the talk of the country for a long time, now; he had been sure that someone would arrive, hoping to watch on the television with a little more breathing space than could be acquired in anyone else's living room. It seemed that his reputation, however, was even more fearsome than he had thought. No-one ventured near him, and so he and Auldearn sat alone, the latter on the former's lap where he could easily be tucked behind a cushion if anyone did make it into Bertrand's parlour. He might be a terrifying figure locally, but he doubted that effect would survive being caught watching today's pageantry with a fifty-year-old teddy bear for company.

He'd only got the television to see what all the fuss was about. It was still a little unsettling for him to see tiny people moving around in the strange box – glass at the front, like a fish tank they'd all fallen into – and he'd only just adjusted to the idea of the wireless. Well, it had been a few decades, actually, since he had become so attached to the invention that he insisted on acquiring one whenever he could, wherever his travels took him. He would never admit it, except perhaps a little guiltily to Auldearn, his faithful companion, but he had missed hearing human voices on his search for the Chosen One.

Now, though, he turned the strange contraption on for the first time in days, following the complicated instructions he'd memorised in order to make the picture clear, and sat mesmerised in his chair. He'd seen coronation parades before, of course, from whichever dark vantage point he chose to lurk in, but this was incredible. This Queen Elizabeth wasn't even his queen; this country was not his country, and the country of his birth no longer recognised the authority of royalty. Somehow, though, the sight of so many people – breathers, yes, but that wasn't their fault, he supposed; the celebratory atmosphere had put him in a generous mood – lining the streets to show their respect and support for the new monarch was almost moving. Bertrand imagined that this would be how the vampire world reacted to the eventual discovery of the Chosen One. He clasped Auldearn a little tighter, the bear's glass eyes fixed on the television screen just as his owner's were.

They sat for hours, watching the procession, the ceremony. Bertrand saw through the eyes of someone standing in sunlight – standing in a church, even – for the first time in centuries. The box, the strange whirring box they called a television, was oddly mesmerising, its power to transport him, to make him feel just like everyone else around the country who was sitting and watching the same events in the same way almost magical.

It was only when the image on the screen had finally turned into a tiny white dot at the centre that Bertrand moved. Slowly he pulled himself to his feet and pottered out into his kitchen, taking with him the two kitchen chairs he'd moved into the other room, just in case. He made his way around the room in the near-darkness – it didn't seem worth putting on a light – clearing away the teapot and the cups he'd left on the side, tipping biscuits from the plate he'd ended up sharing only with Auldearn into a tin. He hesitated, frowning, before tipping the biscuits from the tin into the bin. After all, it wasn't as if he would profit from eating them.

He gathered Auldearn from the living room and tucked him into his shroud; the bear, unlike the breathers and every other creature on the planet, never let him down. Breathers always disappointed; how had he forgotten that? He stepped out into the night and set off in search of prey.


	13. Mr Cuddles II

**Just a tiny one before we sleep. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine. Hmph.**

Auldearn wasn't quite sure what to make of Mr Cuddles II sometimes.

He was very young, but he seemed to be quite grown-up, especially compared to the likes of Pup. He was friendly, much friendlier than Auldearn was used to anyone being, but nowhere near as soppy as he'd expected from the monkey of a seventeen-year-old vampire. Then again, anyone who judged _his_ boy based on his ownership of a bear would get a nasty – and probably fatal – surprise.

Mr Cuddles II, Auldearn decided, was simply a decent sort, and as long as he got his boy under control and stopped the young vampire from making them hold paws again, he thought they might just become jolly good friends.

He liked the idea of having a friend.


	14. Nightmare

**Just a short one. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, of course, except Auldearn.**

It was still daylight outside, Auldearn was sure of it, when a tall shape sat bolt upright and emerged from Vlad's coffin. It paused for a second, taking in its surroundings in the artificial darkness of the room, and then crept stealthily towards the shelf where he and Mr Cuddles II sat.

It was his boy – of course it was, Auldearn would have known that shape anywhere – and he picked Auldearn up gently before slipping on a jacket, tucking the bear inside it, and creeping out into the hall.

When they were safely in the darkened training room, lit by just a couple of candles, and the door was locked behind them, Bertrand removed Auldearn from his jacket and settled him on his lap, eyes locking with the bear's glass ones.  
"I had a nightmare." Auldearn could tell how much it cost him to say that, to admit to any form of mental or emotional weakness. His boy's blue eyes closed for a moment before he continued. "And I can't tell Vlad, so I'll have to tell you. You always listen." Of course he did; Bertrand was his boy, and Auldearn was his bear. What else could he do but listen?

"You remember the trenches, Auldearn. I know we weren't there long. But you don't forget that kind of thing. Even I – it was like no war I'd ever seen before. The noise, and the machines, and the bombs… all commonplace these days, but back then… I was three hundred years old and I didn't know how to cope. And they threw wide-eyed boys, barely more than children, into the muddy holes that served as home and grave." Auldearn would have nodded if he could; his boy didn't often talk at length, but when he did he tended towards the poetic, especially with regards to the past. He suspected it made it more palatable for him – more distant, easier to deal with.

"I dreamt of them today. But they were all vampires, everyone in the trench, and the slayers fought against us. And Vlad-" He paused, running a hand over the worn fur of his teddy bear to reassure himself he was safe, that it wasn't real. Auldearn let him, stoically providing the support every bear since him had offered their boys and girls. "Vlad didn't make it." It was all his boy managed to choke out in the end, curling his body around the bear in a way he'd rarely done in Auldearn's memory.

The bear couldn't do much more than hope that the cuddle made his boy feel better. Then, suddenly, Bertrand straightened up, trying to look dignified, still clinging to the bear, and another pair of arms encircled both vampire and teddy.  
"Bertrand. Are you alright?" His boy hesitated, then shook his head, hand moving to run over Vlad's face as it had caressed Auldearn just a minute before. "Come here."

Auldearn averted his eyes as best he could, crushed between the two vampires as Vlad tried his best to reassure Bertrand he wasn't slain, placing soft kisses in his hair, on his face, down to the place just below his ear that was as near the neck as Bertrand was comfortable with being kissed. The old bear didn't mind being pushed aside. Sometimes, they needed each other.

His boys.


	15. Practice

**Goodness, it's an Auldearn drabble! It's been a while. Don't know if you've been watching the **_**Young Dracula Files**_**, dear readers, but I wonder if that coat has big enough pockets to hide a bear in...**

**Disclaimer: None of this is mine except Auldearn, and since he's mine and the show's not it seems unlikely that those pockets do contain a bear.**

"Look, the thing is… I… ugh, such a breather word, must I – but… it's true. I love you.

"I spent so long searching for you, and I never imagined for a moment that you'd even look at me once you had the Book, but then you were _you_, and you treated me like… like an equal, even though I could never be your equal. And you forgave me when I got things wrong, and I would have done anything for you, and I realised…

"I just want you to know that this, us, it's not something I _do_ a lot. I don't get attached to people. So believe that I'm serious when I say… I want this to last, Vladimir Dracula. I want us to be together for a while yet, and… if you wanted to… this is probably treason."

Bertrand lurched towards a huge, dusty law book, intending to check, but then he glanced up at his audience and pulled a sheepish face, leaving it where it was and returning to stand in front of Auldearn and Mr Cuddles II, who were waiting expectantly for the end of this little speech.

"Can't do that, so… Right. If you wanted to… I…" he sank down onto one knee. "Vlad, will you… No, this _is_ treason, it's all wrong." He leapt to his feet and began pacing, directing his angry torrent of words towards the stuffed animals. "He's the Grand High Vampire, it's not like I can just propose to him, is it? I mean, it'd be like asking to be his Consort, and that's just not how it's done. He knows I love him, he must know I wouldn't leave him. That will just have to do." He left the room with a frustrated growl, no doubt heading down to take out his emotions on the punch bag, and the two toys exchanged weary thoughts.

_He was so close. My boy would have been thrilled._

_He does have a point, though. It _is_ a bit awkward._

_But they love each other. You know my boy wouldn't mind._

_I know,_ Auldearn mused thoughtfully, _but it would appear mine does._

They sat together for a while in companionable disappointment.

_Maybe next time._


	16. Mistaken

**I don't even know where this came from. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

It wasn't as if they discussed it all the time, but Auldearn had to admit that the subject had come up once or twice. He and Mr Cuddles II had been fairly certain they knew how Vlad would eventually propose. It wouldn't be long, they were sure.

_It would be very romantic and proper – candles everywhere, of course, but when weren't there – and Vlad would make an eloquent speech before sinking to his knees and asking Bertrand to be with him forever, to be at his side through good and bad, to sit beside him and offer his counsel from a more equal position as Vlad ruled the vampire world._

_Bertrand would, of course, be horrified by Vlad lowering himself to his knees and deferring to Bertrand, and would try to pull him to his feet. Vlad would refuse to be budged until he had an answer, and Bertrand would splutter a little about whether Vlad was sure until Vlad gave him that look that made everyone shut up and get to the point. Then, of course, Bertrand would admit that there was only one answer he could possibly give, and Vlad would sweep him into a kiss…_

So it came as some surprise when the door burst open and Bertrand stormed in looking furious, causing Auldearn to peer at his boy with concern. No, he realised, on closer inspection it was clear that it was pain, not anger, writ large across the vampire's face as he moved around the room collecting his possessions from where they lay haphazardly mixed in with Vlad's.

The Grand High Vampire himself appeared in the doorway, and Auldearn had to try very hard not to think nasty thoughts of the boy who'd obviously, judging by the guilty, bewildered expression on his face, upset _his_ boy. Bertrand reached out to pick up his bear as Vlad spoke.  
"Bertrand, stop. Please, just let me finish."  
"What more is there to say? You've made it clear this is over. A little warning would have been nice, but-"  
"Bertrand-" The former tutor whirled round, suddenly, leaving Auldearn in his place on the shelf, and for a moment the bear thought he was being left behind. But no – Bertrand was simply taking Vlad's face between his hands and kissing him one last time; saying goodbye.

Vlad, it seemed, was having none of it. He never used his extra strength and power to push Bertrand around – at least, not in here, not under the watchful glass gaze of Auldearn – but now he effortlessly pushed Bertrand up against the nearest wall and kissed him until his head spun before beginning to press kisses down his neck. Among vampires, Auldearn knew, this was a sign of dominance, and it wasn't the first time Vlad had made Bertrand shiver with the gesture. Today, however, Bertrand seemed bothered by it, as if it actually meant Vlad was trying to establish ownership. The Chosen One paused briefly to murmur against the cold skin of Bertrand's neck.  
"Marry me." Then he went right back to what he was doing, and for a moment Bertrand's only response was a strangled moan… before what Vlad had said sank in.

"What?"  
"Marry me." Vlad moved away from Bertrand's neck and brought his hand up to caress his face instead. "If you'd let me finish, instead of storming out the moment I said I'd got the Council to agree that I could make a marriage proposal-"  
"Me? You meant… You want to marry _me_?" Vlad shrugged.  
"Who on earth else would I want to marry? I love you. So… will you?" Bertrand blinked at him, stunned, and then finally dropped the small case he'd still been clutching in one hand.  
"Of course I will. _Blood_, Vlad, I love you, but you've got to be more careful with your word ord-" Vlad cut him off with another kiss, and then Auldearn decided to follow Mr Cuddles' example and go to sleep for a while. He didn't need to see his boys celebrating to know they were happy.


	17. Understanding

**I have no idea where this came from. Set pre-Garside, in some shabby little pub Bertrand's holed up in.  
**

**Disclaimer: None of these things are mine except the bear who thinks too much.**

Auldearn didn't really understand kissing.

Cuddles, he understood. He loved cuddles – what was there not to love? - but kissing? Pressing your mouth against someone else's; it didn't seem like something anyone should enjoy. Yet the girl draped over his boy seemed quite keen on it. Bertrand was letting her, making his way through the doorway and kicking it shut as she clung around his neck and pressed her lips against anywhere she could think of.

His boy looked up for a moment, straight into the girl's eyes, and her giggling faltered slightly as she noticed the complete lack of warmth in his eyes. Perhaps she believed the look in his eyes to be desire; perhaps that was why she didn't run. Auldearn didn't know for sure, but if that was so then she was swiftly corrected.

Auldearn didn't really understand biting, either, but when the girl lay still and silent at last and Bertrand was sleeping soundly, he understood that his boy needed it far more than the kissing.

He wished his boy would realise he needed cuddles.


	18. Regrets

**Oh hey who's that bear? It's been forever. Enjoy!**

**Spoilers up to 3x13.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine! Except Auldearn *clings***

Bertrand had crept into the training room, all creaking leather and chewed lip, and curled into a ball in the corner with his bear. He was silent for a long while, but finally he seemed to decide he could risk a whisper.  
"It was important."

He paused, then nodded firmly, as if to convince himself more than the bear. Auldearn, after all, knew that if something mattered to his boy, it was the most important thing in the world. "The slayers /were a threat. Someone had to do something. And who else was there? Ingrid was busy, the Count was blind... Vlad would rather pine over his little breather girlfriend." Auldearn almost winced at the bitterness in his boy's tone at the mention of his rival. The bear had only ever caught the briefest glimpses of Erin when she'd invaded his boy's training space, but he didn't like her. "It had to be me."  
He propped the old toy against a pillar and stood, removing his cape and starting on the buttons of his shirt.

"The Book's gone, Auldearn. It was an old, crazed vampire waiting to be released. Funny, you'd think we would have noticed, wouldn't you?" He was forcing himself to sound casual, the bear knew, but he was no doubt blaming himself for everything that had happened. "It's alright. No way you could have realised in a century, if I couldn't in four." Sometimes it was quite boring, being right all the time. There was nothing Auldearn could do but wait for his boy to snap out of it and pick him up for - perhaps, if the stars aligned - a cuddle.

Bertrand changed into a pair of loose-fitting cotton trousers and pulled a snug, soft t-shirt in the same fabric over his head before sitting at the end of his shroud and gathering his bear back into his lap. Auldearn peered at him, wondering if the child he'd been stolen away from would ever have looked just as lost and vulnerable as Bertrand did, sitting cross-legged in his pyjamas with his teddy. It wasn't often that the bear caught a glimpse of the child his boy must once have been. He treasured the sight, but it worried him.

"I messed everything up. Vlad didn't even look at me once he'd won. I did everything I could to help, but... What if he never forgives me?" Auldearn didn't have an answer for that, and his boy wasn't expecting him to. He sat for a few more moments, clutching his bear like a lifeline - _almost_ a cuddle - before slipping them both into his shroud and clicking his fingers to put out all the candles.

Auldearn thought he'd fallen asleep, but an hour later, just as he was drifting off himself, his boy shifted slightly, and whispered just as he had so many months ago when he'd realised the problem he was having with his new job.  
"Vlad..." He fell silent once more.

Auldearn only hoped this precious Chosen One would forgive his boy. If he didn't, it would break his heart.


	19. Stolen Again

**Pfft, it's been a while. Hints at adult themes, but seen through the eyes of teddy bears so you're probably alright. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Except Auldearn, he's definitely not canon.**

Auldearn huffed as he was set down on the shelf beside Mr Cuddles II.

_Fighting again?_ The monkey thought very hard about nodding.  
_Your boy doesn't want to share a coffin with my boy in case he hurts him in the day.  
Special cuddles? _Auldearn guessed, and Mr Cuddles thought about it for a second.  
_I don't know. What are special cuddles like?  
Never mind... you'll find out when you're older._

Mr Cuddles wisely didn't press the point, and they watched the monkey's boy pace anxiously for a while before Auldearn spoke again.  
_So who got angry first?  
My boy said your boy was treating him like a child; your boy said it wasn't fair to pressure him; they both slammed the same door at the same time from opposite sides and I'm surprised no fingers were broken.  
I see. So how long unt-?_

There was a knock at Vlad's coffin room door, giving Vlad just enough time to turn towards it before it slammed open and Bertrand appeared. Auldearn gave his boy a quick once-over and noticed the suspicious damp patch on the wrist of his left sleeve, as if someone had wiped their eyes on it not long ago. On closer inspection, his boy's face was drawn and pinched; it would be impossible to tell unless you knew Bertrand as well as Auldearn did, but it was clear to the bear that he'd been sobbing his cold dead heart out.

"Where is he?" Vlad simply dodged around him and shut the door.  
"You've been crying," he said, matter-of-fact, and Auldearn's stuffing shifted anxiously. Someone _did_ know Bertrand as well as he did, and he'd made him cry. It was an uncomfortable thought, and the bear only hoped it was going to be put right soon.

Bertrand ignored the younger vampire and, glancing around, stormed over to retrieve his stolen toy.  
"You can't just take my things whenever you need to see me-"  
"I didn't want to have to _summon_ you. Look, Bertrand, I'm sorry. I just... I'm not going to break if you touch me. I _want_ to be touched. But more importantly, I want you to hold me when we sleep, I want to spend my days with you, I want to wake up to watch you pull silly faces in your sleep. We don't have to do _anything _you don't want to, but... please don't try to tell me what _I_ can't handle." Vlad was clinging to Bertrand's arms, pleading with his eyes, and Auldearn felt himself being gently raised back up onto the shelf and turned carefully to face the wall. Beside him, Mr Cuddles was similarly shifted.

"Vlad, I... you know how I feel about you. If I get in that coffin with you, I _know_ what will happen, and... I don't know why you'd want that, with me."  
"I love you, Bertrand. Who else could I want?"

There was a suspiciously long silence, broken only by the sounds of lips moving together and then fabric rustling.  
_Cuddles, old chap.  
__Yes?  
__Go to sleep, now. _The monkey seemed to comply, but then a quick thought escaped.  
_Are they making up?  
__I rather think so, _Auldearn assured him. _Yes, I rather think they are._

It was a relief to find that when he closed his eyes and slipped into unconsciousness, Mr Cuddles II followed suit without question. The monkey was rather too young to understand these matters.


	20. Comfortable

**Short one, sorry. Prompt from redrachxo: Auldearn's arrival at Garside. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

Auldearn settled at the corner of the room and tried not to get too comfortable. Getting comfortable, he'd learnt, only made it harder when it was time to pack up and leave. Still, the room was warm enough, and not too bright, and there were plenty of candles... and Bertrand had done his typical territorial display to ensure that nobody would dare venture in without permission, which meant Auldearn was safe out in the open like this. Bertrand would simply tuck him away in the evening when he rose.

"This is it, Auldearn." It was the most miniscule whisper, but Auldearn's ears were finely tuned to his boy's voice. Today it was full of barely-suppressed excitement. "This is him, the real Chosen One. We've found him."

Somehow, Auldearn thought, that didn't sound like the end of a journey. It sounded like the beginning of one. Still... he made himself comfortable in his corner and followed his boy's example as he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
